Pain at the top of the abdomen

This symptom, like abdominal pain, can be felt due to pathological changes, functional disorders, and also due to malnutrition. So, it hurts the abdomen in case of malfunctions in the stomach, liver, pancreas, intestine, spleen or gallbladder. The same localization can have pain caused by myocardial infarction, osteochondrosis, lung disease.

Since the clinical picture for many pathologies of the digestive system is similar, the diagnosis should be handled by a doctor. Some conditions require urgent medical attention, so a person should know when the pain syndrome is a symptom of a serious illness.

Which organ provokes pain

You need to determine where the epicenter of pain lies. If the symptom appears on the top left, then it is possible that this is a worsening of the activity of the stomach, pancreas, esophagus, intestine. Pain in the upper right side of the abdomen is likely due to dysfunction of the liver, gallbladder, colon.

The strength of the pain syndrome is also a diagnostic criterion. Acute unbearable pain overcomes the perforation of ulcers, acute pancreatitis, biliary colic, peritonitis, rupture of the liver or spleen. With tissue necrosis, the symptom can acquire a girdling character and be felt throughout the abdomen.

In malignant formations, the pain is also very strong, but they do not appear sharply, but increase with time. It is also important whether there is a dependence of the pain syndrome on the intake of food, the position of the body. If the "hungry pains" are characteristic, then this indicates inflammation of the gastric mucosa.

If the symptom is more intense after eating, then an ulcer or other disorder is likely that makes it difficult for food to split. Pain in the abdomen at a certain position of the body and its disappearance after changing the posture, speaks of the pathology of the spine.

The upper right side of the abdomen can get sick at the initial stage of appendicitis development.

In pregnancy, chronic diseases worsen, and the risk of formation and emergence of the calculus increases. In addition, the uterus presses on the adjacent organs, and the child can "beat neighbors", so not always the appearance of pain at the top of the abdomen speaks of obstetric pathology.

Probable causes of pain

Diseases of the digestive system are manifested by pain of different localization and strength, nausea and vomiting, changes in stool frequency and consistency, and lack of appetite. Therefore, in order to find out the cause of the pathology, you need to contact a doctor who will determine why the abdomen hurts at the top and how to eliminate this symptom. We will consider the most common diseases that cause pain in the upper abdomen.

Inflammation of the stomach tissues

The stomach is located at the top of the abdomen, which often provokes the appearance of unpleasant sensations. If it is filled, it stretches from the xiphoid process of the sternum to the navel, with the greater part of it being to the left of the center of the abdomen. If after eating, several hours have passed, then the stomach takes its place in the epigastrium.

To the right of the stomach is the liver, and to the left is the diaphragm, the abdominal wall is in front, and behind it is covered by the pancreas. The stomach also comes into contact with intestines, a large omentum, a spleen.

Stomach pain can occur as a result of irregular or irregular eating habits. If a person does not eat, then there are pains in the pit of the stomach, they are caused by the release of hydrochloric acid and the activity of muscle tissue. Discomfort can occur after the use of individual products, which is due to the individual characteristics of the digestive system.

Soreness can be felt after taking:

• vegetables, the fibers of which are heavily digested( carrots, turnips, cabbage, radishes);
• alcohol, because it irritates the mucous;
• kvass, beer, fizzy drinks, as this leads to the accumulation of gases;
• black bread with bran, stale products, as they accelerate the processes of fermentation and promote gas generation;
• milk or gluten, sometimes they are not digested, since there are no enzymes that split them;
• excessively cold, hot food, irritating mucous.

Pain in the upper abdomen can occur after unusual food because enzymes can not quickly break it

Acute daggerache occurs as a result of inflammation of the stomach tissues or exacerbation of the ulcer. Sensations are strong and cause a person to accept the forced position of the body. At exacerbations the stomach can so strongly hurt, that there will be a painful shock. It is characterized by rapid heart rate, lowering blood pressure, the appearance of cold sweat, a tense stomach.

Pain occurs because in perforation of ulcers hydrochloric acid and aggressive enzymes go beyond the body and affect nearby tissues, which leads to inflammation of the abdominal cavity. An ulcer is more likely to form in a man than a woman, which is associated with diet and chronic stress.

Not so long ago, scientists found that inflammation of the stomach mucosa is caused by a bacterium that survives in an acidic environment. It emits toxins that destroy the tissues of the body. Not all people who contract a bacterium get gastritis, more often they become asymptomatic carriers of infection.

The ulcer is a complication of gastritis, so if there is a chronic inflammation of the stomach, and acute pain has arisen, you need to urgently consult a doctor. The ulcer is surgically treated, and when it is pierced, an emergency operation is required.

The ulcer can be complicated by penetration, that is, destruction of the wall and the release of the contents into the adjoining organ, for example, the small or large intestine. This causes a violation of the functions and other body. Destruction of the hydrochloric acid vessel can lead to bleeding from the wound. The pain does not become more intense, however, vomiting or feces with blood may appear.

For the treatment of gastritis medication is prescribed, which will help get rid of helicobacter and normalize the acidity of gastric juice.

. Disruption of the activity of sphincters.

. In the upper tract, between the esophagus and stomach, there is a sphincter that does not allow food to enter the esophagus from the stomach. If the muscle is weakened, then eructation and heartburn occurs. There is pain behind the sternum below, extending into the back or marked at the top slightly to the left of the abdominal center.

There is a pylorus between the stomach and the bowel. If there is a spasm, the lumen narrows, and the lump can not leave the stomach.

There may be a violation if pathological processes in the stomach, provoking pain, with nervous tension or frustration.

Spasm is a functional disorder, which means that there are no morphological changes in the muscle itself. To remove the symptom will help No-shpa. When the pyloric stenosis appears, there is a disruption in the muscle tissue, for example, as a result of the replacement of the normal connective tissue, which happens if the ulcer adjacent to it is scarring and affects the muscle.

Pain in spasm or stenosis is more intense 90-120 minutes after a meal, it is stronger if you eat solid food. The pain is characterized as medium intensity and is felt not in the epigastric region, but slightly lower and to the right( at the level of the pyloric projection).

Heart pathology

Drawing pains at the top of the abdomen can occur as a result of myocardial infarction( an attack of the gestal form).Due to necrosis of the tissues of the heart muscle, pains are felt at the top of the abdominal cavity, as they are close to the diaphragm. Necrotizing the tissues of the heart can negatively affect the organs of the digestive system that are nearby. Therefore, nausea and single vomiting are likely.

In the development of myocardial infarction, in addition to abdominal pain, other symptoms also appear, for example, resting at rest, rapid heartbeat, arrhythmic pulse, pressure surge. Often pathologies are preceded by stress or ischemic disease.

If you suspect a heart attack, you need urgent hospitalization and intensive care that allows you to restore normal blood circulation

Pancreatic inflammation

The inflammatory pancreas can cause a cutting pain on the right side of the abdomen. The pain syndrome is strongly pronounced and can be both shrouded in character and have a clear localization. Discomfort occurs during a period when the gland is overloaded, for example, after overeating, eating heavy, fatty or sugary foods, and also after alcohol.

The pain arises from the fact that enzymes can not pass through the obstructed ducts into the gut. Trypsin aggressively acts on the gland tissue, provokes inflammation, and after a while the perforation of the parenchyma and the formation of cysts.

A painful sensation appears at the top of the abdomen, under the right ribs, near the waist, shoulder blades. Sometimes the pain of the pancreas is confused with a heart attack, as it can irradiate to the left side of the body( scapula, arm and jaw).

In pancreatitis, in addition to acute cramping pain, there are other signs of the disease. This nausea, vomiting, not giving relief, hyperthermia, increased gas formation. If the enzymes are in the bloodstream, then the limbs, body and face turn blue, and in the gland, navel and buttocks appear red spots.

This symptomatology requires intensive care in the intensive care unit. If necessary, a surgical operation is performed to restore the functioning of the ducts and to remove dead tissue.

Diseases of the gallbladder

Pain at the top of the abdomen appears if gallbladder diseases develop or its ducts become clogged. With a severe form of pathology, pain appears throughout the abdominal cavity. Hepatic colic causes bad patency of the bile ducts, which can be the result of stone movement, mechanical compression of the tumor.

Smoking spasm of muscles with renal colic can be No-shdi

If the antispasmodic has not worked, and the condition worsens, then probably cholecystitis, that is, inflammation of the gallbladder. The attack is characterized by a sharp onset, the pain appears unexpectedly and is accompanied by hyperthermia.

Pain concentrates in the upper right abdomen roughly between the epigastric region and the hypochondrium. The attack lasts up to five hours. Usually it is preceded by overeating or eating very fatty foods. Depending on the complications caused, treatment is appointed conservative or operative.

Liver pathology

Pain at the top of the abdomen appears if liver disease develops. Symptom occurs with jaundice, which is diagnosed due to worsening of the outflow of bile. Bilirubin does not disintegrate, but penetrates into the systemic bloodstream, it is he who gives the skin and sclera a yellow tint.

And with the mechanical type of jaundice and with hepatic painfulness can be in the epigastric region. Portal type of hypertension causes pain in the middle of the abdomen. In case of illness, venous pressure rises and blood outflow is disturbed.

In the middle of the abdomen, there is discomfort in the development of hepatic encephalopathy, which occurred against the background of intoxication

. The liver tissue does not contain nerve endings, therefore, the organ does not hurt. Unpleasant sensations arise only when the enlarged gland begins to squeeze the sensitive capsule in which the liver is located, or adjacent organs, for example, the intestine, gall bladder, right kidney, pancreas, stomach. Pain is felt if the inflammatory process has passed from the liver to the capsule.

Spleen pathology

Pain at the top of the abdomen is felt in primary or secondary spleen diseases, as the organ increases, exerting pressure on adjacent tissues. Since the spleen is a lymphoid organ, hypertrophy can arise due to chronic diseases such as malaria, sepsis, mononucleosis, tuberculosis, autoimmune reaction.

High pressure in the portal vein also provokes pain in the abdomen. Probably a rupture of the organ that provokes a very severe acute pain and threatens the life of the patient, since internal bleeding begins. Integrity is disturbed by blunt trauma to the abdomen, as a result of complications of an infectious disease or an autoimmune process.

The spleen infarction develops as a result of the lack of blood supply to the body. This is due to the formation of a blood clot or squeezing an artery that supplies the blood with an organ. Tissues, not getting oxygen and food, die, which provokes strong aching pains. Therapy in necrotic surgery involves the removal of the organ.

The abdomen hurts strongly at occurrence of an abscess of a lien, the dyscomfort increases at pressing. The disease is accompanied by hyperthermia, weakness, pain in the muscles and in the head. There is a purulent inflammation due to the multiplication of bacteria trapped in the capsule of the organ from other infectious foci.

The left and right sides can ache after physical activity, especially if less than two hours have passed after eating

The abdominal pains provoked by the spleen can have a physiological character, that is, they do not arise due to tissue changes. Increased blood flow or increased pressure can provoke stitching pains caused by the inability of ducts to pass through such a volume of blood, the walls expand and painful sensations appear. Typically, this happens after exercise.

Lung diseases

In the upper abdomen, pain in pneumonia or pleurisies is likely. And although the pathology develops due to the deterioration of the lungs, the pain is still felt in the abdominal area, since the lower part of the respiratory organ is close to the dome of the diaphragm.

For this reason, pain is more likely to have a right-sided localization. When a pain stimulus arises, muscles become strained and pain in the abdomen increases. In order not to confuse the disease of the lungs with an attack of cholecystitis, appendicitis or other pathologies, in which an "acute abdomen" is noted, and differential diagnosis is necessary.

Disturbance of innervation

Since organs are partially innervated by the spinal cord, any spinal pathology in which the nerve roots are affected can be treated as abdominal pain. Symptom is not caused by pathologies of the digestive system. Usually they are not very pronounced and arise with a certain posture, in which the roots are impaired.

Belly trauma

Blunt abdominal injuries can lead to serious damage to the internal organs, for example, fracture of the ribs, rupture of the spleen or liver, the formation of cavities filled with blood. Injury can be obtained as a result of a targeted attack, a body shaking during an accident, a fall. Abdominal muscles can break, even with a sharp turn of the person.

How to eliminate pain

For acute abdominal pain, seek medical attention. Such disorders as pancreatitis, myocardial infarction, appendicitis, complications of the stomach ulcer, rupture of the spleen, peritonitis manifest pain at the top of the abdomen, and they all require immediate medical intervention.

Often, in addition to the pain syndrome, there are no other signs of the disease, according to which the patient could determine how serious the disease, so when an "acute abdomen" you need to call an ambulance.

Abdominal pain requires hunger, cold and rest

Before taking a doctor, you should not take pain medication. Sensing the stomach, the doctor looks for the epicenter of pain and checks whether the symptom is strengthened with pressure, and whether the liver or spleen is enlarged. Taking medications distorts the symptom and does not allow you to quickly guess the cause of the pain.

Apply hot compress is prohibited, as if inflammation develops, this will only speed up the process. Without a doctor's recommendation, you can not cleanse the intestines. Even if the discomfort is not strong, but it occurs periodically or lasts for more than an hour, then a checkup should be done to find out what to do to prevent the disease from progressing.

For acute pain in the abdomen, the examination should be performed by a surgeon, as it determines if the symptom is dangerous for the patient's life. If the pain is moderate, then you can consult a therapist or gastroenterologist.